Benedict College has developed a strategy to enhance institutional capacity and competitiveness for biomedical research through the Research Infrastructure in Minority Institutions Program (RIMI). The goals are to expand biomedical research capacity at Benedict College through improvement of the facilities for research, to strengthen the biomedical faculty at Benedict College through recruitment of research oriented faculty, and to develop collaborative investigations between Benedict College and the University of Sough Carolina Sch of Med, a local research intensive institution. Biomedical research space, facilities and laboratory equipment at Benedict College would be expanded and upgraded, and biomedical faculty enhanced through the addiction of highly trained, research orientated faculty members who will be provided with resources to assist them initiate their research. In association with these activities, two collaborative research plans have been developed between investigators at Benedict College professors and the university of South Carolina Sch of Medicine; "Toxic and Estrogenic Actions of PCBs in Reproduction", Dr. George McCoy, Benedict College, Principal Investigator and Dr. Charles Blake, USC medical School, Co-investigator; "Toxicological Effects of PCBs during Spermatogenesis" Dr. Mary F. Finlay, Benedict College, Principal Investigator and Dr. Clarke Millette, USC Medical School, Coinvestigator. These projects are of high biomedical relevance, employ challenging methodologies appropriate for investigators and resources available, build upon complementary strengths and interests of collaborating faculty from both institutions. These collaborations will enable Benedict faculty to strengthen research skills and provide a basis for future joint research endeavors. Through all these activities, the success of Benedict College in competition for biomedical research support will be significantly increased. An associated benefit will be that admission and retention of Benedict students into doctoral programs in biomedical research fields will increase.